The Greatest of all Time

Chapter 346 Impact of Substitutions

Coach Antonio Conte looked at the Rosenborg players, celebrating on the pitch, and shook his head. He was experiencing four capital Ds at that moment.

He was discontented, disoriented, disappointed, and even disconnected from reality. He couldn’t help it. The game situation had run out of hand.

He didn’t blame Pogba and Vidal for going forward to attack since he’d encouraged them to do just that whenever they spotted an opportunity. He was just exasperated by how Zachary Bemba, Rosenborg’s playmaker, was able to be in a position to punish his team at the opportune moment.

When his players had relaxed for a bit and left him alone, he immediately retaliated against them with a perfect counter. His timing, vision, and on-pitch analysis were really annoying.

Moreover, the young man was damn clinical, just like a cyborg purposely designed for football. He could make the best decision when in the final third.

For instance, he’d chosen to pass the ball to his teammate instead of going for the goal himself. Had he gone for the latter option, maybe the experienced Juventus defenders would have had the chance to stop him and prevent the goal.

Lightning-fast thoughts flashed through Coach Conte’s head as the Rosenborg players celebrated their goal. He considered for a moment before glancing at his watch and turning towards his bench players.

”Fernando! Stephan!” He said, alternating his gaze back and forth between the two players.

”Yes, coach,” they replied, almost in sync, while jumping up from their seats.

”Start warming up,” Coach Conte said, tone commanding. “I want you on the pitch in two minutes.”

”Yes, coach.”

—–

Coach Johansen had been keeping a close eye on Coach Conte’s actions. After noticing the Italian tactician prepping Fernando Llorente and Stephan Lichtsteiner as potential substitutes, his eyes narrowed slightly.

He’d done his research before the game. He was well aware of the immensely high threat level of the two substitutes, especially if he couldn’t get his tactics right.

Fernando Llorente was a tall, large, and physically powerful player. He was the perfect target-man in the center of his team’s attacking line since the main traits of his style of play included heading ability and strength in the air. As long as he was present in the box, he would add more pressure to Rosenborg’s fragile defense.

As for Stephan Lichtsteiner, he was like a Ferrari on the wing. He was a dynamic, hard-working, consistent, and versatile defender, capable of playing anywhere along the right flank. He was also a tactically intelligent player who could constantly make energetic runs on the wings before unleashing dangerous crosses into the box. If he partnered up with Fernando Llorente, the two of them would pose an enormous threat to Rosenborg, especially in the last minutes of gameplay when the stamina of starting players was already wearing thin.

Coach Johansen turned his gaze away from Juventus’ side of the technical area while evaluating possible countermeasures against his opponent’s substitutions.

He considered substituting-in two more defenders to fully ‘park the bus’ and defend Mourinho-style for the remaining few minutes. But after thinking through the idea for a few seconds, he pushed it out of his mind.

More defenders didn’t necessarily mean an impenetrable defense. Instead, the extra two men in the backline might bring about confusion during the tense moments.

Furthermore, adding defenders would encourage Juventus to relax at the back due to the limited number of attack-minded players in Rosenborg’s squad. The Juventus players would then grow more confident and launch more fierce attacks that could potentially result in another goal.

Coach Johansen’s mind was in overdrive as he continued considering countermeasures. After a few more seconds, just as the game was restarting, he turned towards Paul Kasongo and Karl Toko Ekambi — the two young players already warming up on the sidelines.

”Kasongo and Ekambi,” he said, clapping his hands.

”Yes, coach,” they replied, halting their warm-up and quickly stepping towards him. Their eyes brimmed with anticipation and expectation as they looked at the coach the next moment.

”Listen closely, you two,” Coach Johansen said. “In a bit, you’ll enter the game in place of our two starting wingers. Since you’ll be having fresh legs, I need you to work harder than ever. Make sure that the Juventus flank players don’t break through the wings. We only have about three minutes remaining to the ninety. There will possibly be three more minutes of added time, and the game will end. During those last few minutes, you two must remain on your toes to ensure that we don’t concede, especially from a cross delivered from the wings. Are you with me?”

”Yes, coach.”

”Kasongo!” The coach turned towards the short man. “I especially want you to mark that Juventus substitute – Stephan Lichtsteiner. Be on him full time, and don’t let him make any dangerous runs into our half. That’s my assignment for you. Okay?”

”I get it, coach,” Kasongo replied, nodding like a hen pecking grain. His eyes were brimming with fire as if he couldn’t wait to enter the pitch.

”Okay, prepare to go in,” the coach said, patting the backs of the two players. “I expect good things from you. Let’s hope that we’ll celebrate our qualification for the quarter-finals together in about seven minutes.”

”Coach, we’ll try our best.”

—–

Juventus was once again on the attack. They passed the ball from player to player at a high tempo as they tried to create a goal-scoring opportunity. Finally, the ball ended at Vidal’s feet close to the border of the final third.

Arturo Vidal skipped past Takumi Minamino with a simple deft touch before threading the ball to Paul Pogba, who was in a narrow pocket of unmarked space in front of the box.

Pogba controlled the ball perfectly before executing a well-timed Marseille turn to free himself from the opponents surrounding him. Before any foes could close him down, he unleashed a killer shot towards the goal from the edge of the eighteen-yard box.

However, all his efforts were fruitless as Yerry Mina threw himself in front of the shot the next moment. The tall Colombian blocked the ball with an outstretched boot, sending it back from whence it had come.

Takumi Minamino quickly got to the loose ball before kicking it far and away — to the outside of the pitch with a well-timed clearance. Rosenborg had finally managed to survive yet another wave of attack from the ferocious Juventus.

*FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle and awarded a throw-in to Juventus.

The Juventus players were about to take the throw-in quickly. However, the referee motioned for them to stop and pointed toward the sidelines. He then signaled the fourth official to make the substitutions.

Very quickly, Fernando Llorente and Stephan Lichtsteiner came on for Carlos Tévez and Mauricio Isla, respectively. Then, on the side of Rosenborg, the two young players – Paul Kasongo and Karl Toko Ekambi, came on in place of Tobias Mikkelsen and Alexander Söderlund.

After the four substitutions, the game immediately restarted with Juventus’ throw-in. Stephan Lichtsteiner, the substitute, took the throw-in. He ran to the touchline and threw the ball to Paul Pogba, who had opened himself up close to the right flank.

Pogba immediately flicked the ball back to him with a single touch before running into space.

Stephan Lichtsteiner controlled the return ball well. He then took a few strides and threaded the ball back to Pogba. The latter received it and passed it to Andrea Pirlo, who’d just escaped Nicki Nielsen’s harassment.

Pirlo received it on the sprint before unleashing a lofted pass towards the wing to find Stephan Lichtsteiner again.

Stephan Lichtsteiner, the substitute dubbed as ‘The Swiss Express’ by the fans and press alike, brought the ball under control with a deft touch. He instantaneously burst forth with speed as he raced along the touchline like the wind.

However, he didn’t make it far before running into a terrifying blockade by Paul Kasongo. The short man slid in wholesale and swept the ball together with the sprinting Juventus man off his feet.

”Aaahhh!”

Stephan Lichtsteiner cried out as he went to the ground. He started rolling around on the green while holding his ankle. He seemed to be in a lot of pain.

*FWEEEEEEE*

The whistle sounded the next moment as if on cue. The referee immediately rushed to the scene and checked on Stephan Lichtsteiner’s condition. He then motioned for the Juventus medics to come onto the pitch before showing a yellow card to Paul Kasongo.

Coach Johansen could only shake his head as he watched the proceedings on the pitch. He was really speechless and didn’t know whether to scold or compliment Kasongo for his eagerness.

He’d tasked Paul Kasongo with keeping an eye on Stephan due to his incredible stamina and pace. But the young man was clearly too excited and had committed a dangerous foul right after stepping onto the pitch.

”Guys!” The coach started yelling at the top of his voice. “Lay an offside trap and make sure that you mark each and every opponent…”

Coach Johansen could already see Andrea Pirlo standing over the ball close to the touchline on the left flank. So, he continued shouting out his instructions until his players had enforced them on the pitch. He didn’t want to concede a goal right before the end of the game.

*FWEEEEEEE*

The referee finally blew the whistle and motioned for Pirlo to take the free-kick after the medics finalized their first aid treatment on Stephan Lichtsteiner.

Andrea Pirlo immediately took a few steps back while observing the situation in front of Rosenborg’s box. He then made an angled run towards the ball before unleashing a curling cross towards the rear of Rosenborg’s backline.

It was another dangerous moment for Rosenborg, and Coach Johansen’s heart leaped into his throat for the umpteenth time that evening. He watched with bated breath as the ball reached its highest point and started dipping towards the line of players before Rosenborg’s box. Then, he shuddered despite himself as he watched Fernando Llorente, the tall Juventus center forward, step away from the line of players to meet Pirlo’s teasing cross.

Fernando timed his run well in-between the defenders before heading the ball and sending it darting towards the goal like a bullet. Before the Rosenborg keeper could react, the ball was already nestling into the back of the net.

—–

Rosenborg BK 1 (4) : Juventus FC 3 (4)

—–

A soft smile manifested on Coach Conte’s face for the first time that evening as he watched his players celebrating the goal. In the 91st minute, with only three minutes of injury time remaining, they’d finally managed to bag their third goal for the night through Fernando Llorente, the substitute forward. They’d, at long last, completed a perfect comeback over the two legs and tied the aggregate score with Rosenborg. As a result, they wouldn’t have to bow out of the Europa League after regular time.

—–